Shutesbury Board of Selectmen October 6, 2008 Meeting Minutes Members present: Chairman Rebecca Torres, Ralph Armstrong and Al Springer. Also Present: Town Administrator David C. Dann and Administrative Secretary Leslie Bracebridge. Meeting opened at 7:05 P.M. Topics 1. Selectmen met with Finance Committee Chairman Eric Stocker and members Rus Wilson, Lori Tuominen, Patrick Callahan, William “Bill” Wells and Mark Pocsik to review the October 21 Special Town Meeting Warrant: Article 1. (Community Preservation Committee (CPC) bylaw) The Finance Committee does not need to make a recommendation on the Community Preservation Act Bylaw. Selectmen made some changes to the wording as noted in the final vote below, including a follow-up with Town Counsel on the exact wording for the effective date of the bylaw. Article 2. (Transfer to Finance Committee cash reserves.) The Finance Committee previously transferred $13,300 and $10,000 out for soil contamination costs and therefore need $23,300 replenished to their cash reserves. Article 3. ($25,000 for Hazardous Waste Clean-up) Previously, Selectmen were estimating a request for $100,000 contingency for soil contamination. David has since discussed potential additional costs with well supply serviceman “Buzzy” Booth and with Licensed Site Professional Alan Weiss. Including the $12,400 cost for the Licensed Site Professional and $3,000 for running a new water line to 50 Leverett Road, miscellaneous expenses are predicted to total no more than $25,000 before January. Neither consultant indicated that there would be other significant costs before January 2009. * Selectmen discussed the cost of using 1-inch double thick pipe imbedded in sand for the approximately 450 feet of water line going from the well across the field and parallel to Leverett Road and then diagonally to 50 Leverett Road dwelling versus the use of double pipe. Al Springer recommends using double pipe over double thickness pipe at least in the contaminated soil area. He does not want to have any repeat problems in the future. * David has an October 23 hearing with the Conservation Commission for an emergency permit to dig a trench through the wetland portion of the proposed run. In keeping with winter coming on, Al Springer offered to pursue the process of running the line to 50 Leverett Road during the next two weeks in David’s absence. David will pass the information over to Al Springer to talk over with the Conservation Commission. The Highway Department can dig the line up to the stone wall. The Department does not have the proper equipment to dig in the wetlands beyond the stone wall so a private firm will be called in for that section. Selectmen agreed to raise the amount in Article 3 to $25,000 and to re-evaluate soil contamination costs in January of 2009. Article 4: (Transfers from Overlay Surplus accounts to Allowance for Abatements accounts) Every year Assessors estimate how much money will be needed for potential abatements; this article reconciles estimates with actual abatements. Selectmen were unclear as to the exact reason why funds from so far back as FY 89 and FY 92 were being addressed. Selectmen asked Leslie to inquire of Administrative Assessor Kenneth Holmberg, so that Selectmen are prepared with an explanation if the question comes up at town meeting. Article 5: (Transfer $150,000 for dam repairs.) Becky announced that “it is not looking good” that the town will receive $150,000 from the state for the dam repairs in the face of anticipated state spending cuts. She referenced a joint letter from Senator Stan Rosenberg and Representative Stephen Kulik to Governor Patrick in support of maintaining the state funding of $150,000. Becky feels that all towns are writing similar letters. Shutesbury Selectmen are working to get an appointment to speak directly with Governor Patrick concerning the funding. Senator Rosenberg has agreed to go with the Selectmen if they get an appointment. David met with the Governor’s Western Massachusetts office Director Elizabeth Cardona this morning: Elizabeth will do whatever she could on the town’s behalf to arrange a meeting with the Governor. Selectmen have 3 options for meeting with Governor Patrick: 1. Contact the Governor’s scheduling office by email, 2. Call the Governor’s scheduling office, or 3. Have Elizabeth arrange for a meeting. Selectmen asked David to email Elizabeth tonight to ask her to try to arrange for a meeting and to notify the town by 3 P.M. tomorrow (Wednesday, October 7) if she is successful or not. If Elizabeth is not successful, Selectmen will continue to pursue a meeting through their own email request and/or phone call inquiry. (Agenda item #7: Becky wrote a shorter email than Senator Stan Rosenberg’s letter that does not include the history. Both Al and Ralph agreed with the content of the email, which Becky would like to combine with a picture of the dry Department of Recreation and Conservation state park beach. If Elizabeth is not successful with getting a meeting with Governor Patrick Becky will send the letter to the scheduling office at governor.schedule@state.ma.us, or call the scheduling office (617) 725-4025. If, through the letter, Selectmen are not successful in arranging to meet with the Governor, then they will try to meet with Secretary of Administration and Finance Leslie Kirwan and/or Secretary of Environmental Affairs Ian Bowles. If state funds are not secured by the October 21st Special Town meeting, the odds are slim that Shutesbury will ever get the funding. Selectmen asked the Finance Committee from where in the town budget they would recommend taking funds in the absence of state funding: Al Springer reported that the Town Treasurer wants to make sure there is enough money in free cash ($300,000) so we don’t have to borrow short-term for routine bills. David: right now there is $490,000 (Minus the $23,000 and the $25,000 to be voted upon on October 21st) in Free Cash and $360,000 in Stabilization. Eric suggested Free Cash. Becky: There’s enough time to use Stabilization and there would be a community sense that more people favored the project with the 2/3rds vote. That would leave $210,000 in Stabilization. If things go well, the town could move money back from Free Cash into Stabilization. The Finance Committee unanimously voted to approve all warrant articles as amended by the Select Board. Selectmen unanimously voted to sign the October 21, 2008 Special Town Meeting Warrant with Article 3 reading $25,000, changing wording in Article 5 from “Free Cash” to “Stabilization” and in Article 1, Chapter 6 changing “chapter” to “bylaw” and other potential wording changes based on Town Counsel’s advice. The Finance Committee will post a Finance Committee meeting for October 21st to address the Town Treasurer’s request to transfer $3,000 from Finance Committee reserves to cover interest on short-term borrowing and talk with the Treasurer about the transfer. Since dam repair billing from the contractor is progressive, the town will only spend what is needed from week to week. Perhaps the state will provide some portion of the funds before the project is complete. 3. Selectmen reviewed a proposal from Laura Baker to prepare an update of the Community Development Strategy at $75/hour that could take 4 to 8 hours. She offered a commitment of charging the town no more than $250 which would include attending one meeting, likely the required public hearing. Funding for her work would come from the $30,000 loan money available for projects. Selectmen unanimously voted to hire Laura Baker to do the CDBG (Community Development Block Grant) update in an amount not to exceed $250 and to be completed by December 1. 4. Selectmen reviewed a response letter dated Sept.20 from Highway District Director Al Stegemann stating that the District will proceed with management of the 17 cubic yards of contaminated soil according to Agreement No. 52199. The letter also states that payment of all costs over 10% will be the responsibility of the town. David will send Town Counsel a copy of the letter and Agreement No 52199 for her advice. 2. Selectmen voted to hold off on the aerial photos of Lake Wyola until there is more certainty of funding for the repairs. Select Board Action Items: As noted above: 1. Selectmen unanimously voted to sign the October 21, 2008 Special Town Meeting Warrant with Article 3 reading $25,000, changing wording in Article 5 from “Free Cash” to “Stabilization” and in Article 1, Chapter 6 changing “chapter” to “bylaw” and other potential wording changes based on Town Counsel’s advice. 2. Selectmen unanimously voted to sign the warrant for the November 4 state election. New Topics 1. The Buildings Committee would like to hire Diversified to add a lining to the Magic Salt shed interior wall while they are working on the addition. The estimate for the additional work is $8,000. There is a total of $150,000 in the Buildings Committee funds. Selectmen asked David to get drawings of the project and the original bid for their review at the October 14 Select Board meeting. Meeting adjourned at 9:00 P.M. Respectfully submitted, Leslie Bracebridge Administrative Secretary The official website of the Governor of Massachusetts Mass.Gov Office of the Governor * Governor's Site Home * Mass.Gov * State Agencies * State Online Services Top of Form Search Search Bottom of Form SITE FEEDBACK Top of Form Feedback Can't find what you're looking for? Have a site suggestion? Let us know. (Please Note: This form is for site feedback for our web team. To contact the governor's office, please visit our 'contact us' page.) Email address: Send Your feedback will be submitted directly from this page when you click the Send button below. If you would like to receive an alert notification when your submission is complete, please check the following box. Bottom of Form Home > Media Center > Speeches > 10.02.08 - Fiscal Action Plan Announced Governor Deval L. Patrick Fiscal Action Plan Announced October 2, 2008 As Delivered On Thursday, October 2, 2008, responding to a softening local economy, Governor Deval Patrick announced he will cut spending and implement a series of cost-savings reforms, as part of a five-point Fiscal Action Plan, to address fiscal challenges confronting the Commonwealth.  Go to the video from this event  Read the press release Governor Patrick Good morning. As you all know, the national economy -- and the financial system on which the economy relies -- is under significant stress.  As the impact spreads to local businesses and families, it has now spread to the state budget.  By the end of September last month, state revenues for the first quarter of this fiscal year are $223 million below benchmark, excluding non-recurring receipts; when you count those one-time receipts, we are off $143 million.  While these numbers reflect only the first three months of the fiscal year, and are only a fraction of a percent of our total budget, I believe they signal worse news ahead.  The national economic downturn, tightening credit and its impact on business activity and consumer spending, market volatility and its effect on capital gains all require us to take further steps now to assure a balanced budget. So, I have directed the Secretary of Administration and Finance by October 15th to revise the consensus revenue estimates for the rest of the fiscal year based on current economic data.  Once I have those revenue revisions to revenue, I will cut spending on the parts of the budget where I have the authority to do so under section 9C, the emergency powers granted to the governor under law.  I anticipate that these measures will affect both services and the state workforce. Second, I have asked the Legislative Leaders, the Chief Justice, and the other Constitutional Officers – whose respective budgets I do not control – to reduce their spending voluntarily.  As a benchmark, we will reduce the budget in the Executive Office of the Governor by 7%.  Each of our partners in state government has without hesitation expressed a willingness to work with us and to contribute all they can. Third, I have directed the Secretary of Transportation to prepare legislation to dismantle the Turnpike Authority, merge the remaining transportation agencies, and restructure the “Big Dig” debt.  In that same vein of further streamlining state government, I have directed the Secretaries of Health and Human Services and Housing and Economic Development, under the oversight of the Lieutenant Governor, to accelerate their efforts to merge agency offices and consolidate departments, wherever that is feasible.  Fourth, I have asked the Treasurer to work with us to prepare legislation to reform the state and the MBTA pension systems. Fifth, I have directed the Secretaries of Health and Human Services and of Administration and Finance to accelerate their plans to contain and ultimately reduce health care costs in the Commonwealth.  I know that what I have just outlined is not easy.  So do you.  But behind every one of the cuts we make or reforms we propose is a family, a small business, a non-profit or a worthy idea.  However, as disruptive as these actions may be, the circumstances demand action. At the same time, we will make every possible effort to maintain our commitments in education, health care, local aid, and services essential to the health and well being of our citizens, now and over the long term.  We will continue to market Massachusetts as a home for the green and high tech industries and for the life sciences, as well as a leader in education.  And we will continue to invest in our infrastructure as long as the market for our long-term bonds remains accessible.  In other words, though the road ahead will be rough, we will keep going.  The responsibility we have and the commitment we make is to govern for tomorrow, not just today.  Now, more than ever, we will lean on the sense of community and shared responsibility that I have always believed is critical to assuring a better future for us all. Thank you all for coming.  I’m happy to take your questions.   081006 1 Select Board 1